Floor mat



Jan. 5, 1960 R. YATES ETAL FLOOR MAT Filed Jan. 23, 1958 IN VEN TOR.

2,919,458 FLOOR MAT Robert N. Yates, Erie, and Howard E. Hutzelman, Corry, Ta., assignors to Yates Plastic Sales, Inc., Erie, Pa., a a corporation of Pennsylvania This invention relates to an improved mat structure and a method for making the same and, more particularly, to a structure of the character described and commonlyreferred to as a floor mat.

The mat has a plurality of links, each link having a laterally extending hole in each of the opposite ends thereof. The links are connected by transverse rods extending through the said holes. The rods each have a head preformed on the oppositeends thereof. The mat is characterized by the said holes in the intermediate links being of larger diameter than the diameter of the head and the holes in the links disposed along one edge of the mat. The holes disposed along one outside edge of the mat are of smaller diameter than the heads on the adjacent end of the rod extending therethrough so that the heads can be forced through all of the aligned holes in the other links easily and freely. The rod head, being larger in diameter than the hole which is to receive it in the edge link, requiresthat the head be forced through the end link hole so that when the rod extends therethrough, it will hold the link in position, the head being larger than the adjacent hole, without any further securing means.

It is, accordingly, an object of this invention to provide a floor mat which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and simple and easy to use.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved floor mat of the character described of a continuous section made of a plurality of links connected by headed rods with the holes in all but one edge link in each row of the links being larger than one of the heads of the rods and the holes in one row of links along one edge being smaller than the adjacent rod head whereby the said head must be forced through the link and will not be readily or'inadvcrtently removable.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an isometric partial view of a floor mat according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the floor mat shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal central cross sectional view of the floor mat;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged isometric view of one of the links according to the invention;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side view of one of the links;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged broken side view of one of the rods for holding the links together;

Fig. 7 is an end view of one of the heads; and

Fig. 8 is an end View of the other head.

Referring now more specifically to the drawing, a link ice type mat 10 embodying the invention comprises, among other parts, a very large number of individual links 11 and 12 which are arranged in 'parrallel spaced rows'A, B, C, and D as indicated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. As is seen in Fig. 1, the links in each row are spaced longitudinally from each other and staggered with respect to the links in each adjacent row. The ends of the links in each row overlap the ends of the links of the adjacent row. This arrangement results in a checkerboard appearance' in which the rectangular links 11 and 12 are spaced from each other by rectangular openings therebetween through which debris and water can pass from the upper surface of the floor mat 10 to the floor on which the mat 10 rests.

The mat 10 is made up of a plurality of 'the links 11 and 12 connected by rods 20. -Each individual link 11 and 12 is of the same general type but the-intermediate links 11 in rows B, C, and D have rod receiving holes 15 which are smaller than rod heads 14 of the rods 20 but larger than heads 13 of the rods 20. This is clearly shown in Fig. 3 wherein the holes 15 are considerably larger than the diameter of the innermost intermediate portion 116 of the rods 20 and holes 17 are about the same size as the outside dimension of the intermediate portion 116 of the rods 20 so that the heads 13 will not be easily withdrawable through the holes 17. The rods 20 may be inserted into the holes 17 by forcing the heads 13 through the holes 17 The links 11 and 12 are connected together by a plurality of cross rods 16 which extend through the aligned transverse holes 17 in the links of row A and through somewhat larger holes 15 in the ends of the links in rows B, C, and D. The overlapping of the links results in the lining up of the holes 17 and 15 in adjacent rows and the rods :16 are of a diameter substantially less than the diameterof the holes 15. The rods 16 have a cross sectional shape generally in the shape of a cross as indicated in Figs. 6, 7, and '8. This particular shape makes the rods 16 very strong and flexible for a given size thereof and saves considerable material. This is important when the rods are molded of plastic material or other material when the cost of raw material going into the product must be considered.

On one end of each cross rod 16 is formed a head 14 which is substantially larger than the holes 15 and, also, larger than the holes 17. On the opposite end of each of the rods 20 is formed a head 13 which is smaller in a lateral dimension than the holes 15 in rows B, C, and D but larger in lateral dimension than the holes 17 in the links in row A.

Each of the links 11 and 12 is made up of spaced bosses 120 connected to bosses 21 by means of webs 22. The holes 15 are formed in the bosses 120 and holes 24 are formed in the bosses 21. Because of the holes 24, the entire links are, in effect, much softer to the feet of a person walking thereon. This is because a space is provided into which the material of the link may be deformed when the link is compressed as by a person walking on the mat 10 because the holes 24 through the bosses 21 deflect and collapse when loaded. Since the top of each boss 21 has sharp edges 25 thereon, when loaded, these sharp edges 25 rock longitudinally as the links collapse and, therefore, exert a scraping action on the soles of the shoes of the person walking on the mat 10.

When the improved mat disclosed herein is to be as sembled, the links 11 and 12 are laid in a checkerboard relation relative to each other shown in rows A, B, C, and D to form a mat as wide and as long as is desired, determined only by the number of links to be used and the length of rods available. The rods are inserted through the holes 15 with the head 13 leading. The head 13 will easily pass through the holes 15 without resistance but will have to be forced through the helm 17, resiliently expanding the material of the links. Since the head 13 is forced through the holes 17, it will not easily be withdrawn since the head 13 is larger than the holes 17 and a flat shoulder 28 thereof abuts against a flat side 29 of the link 12. Therefore, the mat can be readily assembled but the mat will not be readily disassembled. The mat presents a pleasing appearance and is economical and practical from a manufacturing and assembling standpoint.

The present design especially adapts itself to rapid assembly and presents means wherein a jig is provided for holding each of the links in rows A, B, C, and D in place. The rods will, therefore, be easily slipped through the holes 15 and then forced through the holes 17 to hold the mat in rigid assembled position.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms but the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A mat comprising first and second links disposed in checkerboard fashion and in rows, said first and second links being substantially identical, each said link comprising spaced, generally cylindrical end bosses and intermediate bosses, said end bosses and said intermediate bosses being connected by webs, bores in said end bosses and in said intermediate bosses, said bores in said end bosses being axially disposed therein, said second links being disposed in a single row at one edge of said mat with the holes therein disposed in alignment with some of the holes in said first links, the holes in said second links being smaller than said holes in said first links, and rods each having a head on one end thereof extending through said holes and connecting said links together, said heads being larger than said second link holes but smaller than said first link holes, and means on the opposite ends of said rods maintaining said links in their connected positions.

2. The mat recited in claim 1 where-in said rods have a cross sectional shape in the shape of a cross.

3. The mat recited in claim 2 wherein the said means is a head on each of the said rods larger than all of the said holes.

4. The mat recited in claim 3 wherein said intermediate bosses have bores therein parallel to said bores in said end bosses.

5. The mat recited in claim 4 wherein said intermediate bosses have sharp upwardly extending edges thereon.

6. A mat of the link type of construction comprising spaced rows of links, each said link being substantially identical and having a hole in each end thereof, one hole in each said link being aligned with a hole in another of said links, a rod having a head on one end thereof, means on the opposite end of said rod for maintaining said links in assembled position, said holes in said links along one edge of said mat being smaller than said head, said holes in said links in rows inside said one edge being larger than said head whereby said head on said rod may easily be inserted through said larger holes in said links and must be forced through the hole in said links along said one edge, said head abutting against the links on said one edge of said mat, and other rods having means to maintain links thereon, said other rods being received in some said holes through adjacent rows of said links to form a mat construction connecting said other said links.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 104,097 Galkin Apr. 13, 1937 621,548 Travaglini Mar. 21, 1899 2,138,872 Marogg Dec. 6, 1938 2,306,944 Gray Dec. 29, 1942 2,825,084 Sanborn Mar. 4, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 40,796 France May 17, 1932 

